Steam heating control apparatus



May 11, 1937.

J. T. MIDYETTE. JR

STEAM HEATING CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1936 R m w W.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 11 1937 on tree STAT ES rare NT OF F l c E 2,079,915 STEAM HEATING CONTROL APPARATUS John T. Midyette, Jr., Scarsdale, N. Y. Application August 15, 1936, Serial No. 96,193

13 Claims;

As is well known to those skilled in the art t which two-pipe steam heating systems relate,

it is customary to employ a plurality of either fixed or adjustable inlet orifices located near the several radiators and disposed respectivelyin the individual steam supply branches leading thereto, the purpose ofsuch orifices being to proportion the rate of steam flow according to' radiator requirements as determined, for example,

by the factor of" condensation and to alsoemploy pressure-differentia1 actuated valves disposed'respectively in the steam supp ly branches leading to the individual radiators for controlling or regulating. the admission of steam" of? the radiators by way of their associated inlet orifices.

Inlet orifices and pressuredifferential-actuated valves, as heretofore employed for the purpose above mentioned, are open objections.

to certain inherent For example, an objection hereto 3 fore encountered in connection with inlet orifices resides in the fact thatit has been. dimcult to obtain orifice values (considered in terms of units or orifice area) best suited to meet conditions peculiar to the respective radiators of a given installation, whereas the main objection'heretofore encountered in connection with pressuredifferential-actuated values resides in the fact that they are expensive and frequently fail to so function as to meet such requirements as nicety of and reliability inoperation.

Objects of' the present invention are to overcome the foregoing objections and to that end the. invention contemplates a controlunit which includes an improved inlet rifice in cooperative association with an improved pressure-differen tial-actuated steam control or regulating valve.

Other objects and advanta ges of the invention will become apparent from the following descrip tion when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a control unit'embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is'a' vertical, longitudinal, sectional view oithe unit appearing in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an outer orifice cup, which is shown-in Fig. 2

as connected to the valve pl perspective View of an inner. to be adjustablyheld. withi cup, as shown in Fig.2..

Referring to" the drawing,

ate; and Fig. 4. is a orifice cup adapted n the outer orifice the numeral. Iii indicates a housing, one end of which is screwthreaded as shown at H and the other end of which isso shaped as to provide an externally screw-threaded nipple l2 by which the control unit may be connected to a radiator inlet through themedium' of an ordinary pipe nipple J4 and its associated union' nut i5: Disposed within the housing Ill'is adivision wall l6; provided central- 1y with a'valve port ll, adjacent to which is formed a valve seat l8, the wall I6 serving to divide the housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers Hand 2!, respectively, the former of which is adapted tocommunicate with a source of steamsupply, not shown, by way of a nipplelike connector element 22 with which the housing'is provided and'the latter of which is adapted to communicate directly with the radiator by Way of the nipples l2 and I4.

Located within the high pressure chamber is a valve plate 24', carrying a face plate 25 which i's'adapted' to be moved-into and out of seating engagement with the valve seat l8 under conditions hereinafter more-particularly described. Disposedwithin the valve port ii for axial movement wth relation thereto, is an orifice unit 26, comprising a pair of cup-like orifice members 2'! and 28'which are adapted to assume a nested relation as shown in Fig. 2 and are connected to'the valveplate 24*by a lag screw 30. The skirt portions of the orifice members 21 and 28- are formed; respectively, with a plurality of apertures 31 and32, which function collectively as an orifice, the effective area of which may be varied, by rotatably adjusting the orifice member 28 with relation to the orifice member 21, to obtain the orifice value best suited to meet a particular need or requirement. It is to be observed that once a proper setting of the orifice member 28 has been obtained, such setting may be permanently maintained by running the lag screw down into locking engagement with the bottom wall of such member.

Securedto the valve plate 24, is a low pressure tube 34' which is of sufficient length to enable it to extend into the radiator well out of the high pressure zone, the low pressure tube being accommodated by openings 35 and 36 formed in the bottom Wall ofthe respective orifice members 21 and. 28, the opening 36 being arcuate in character so as to-permit full-range rotative adjust ment of the orifice member 28 in the presence of the low pressure tube.

Formed centrally of the valve plate E i, is a guide lug- 38, about which is disposed a compression spring 4i], one end of which engages the valve plate in the vicinity of its juncture with the guide lug, and the other end of which engages a pressure head or spring follower M, the hub portion of which is provided with a central opening 42, the purpose of which will hereinafter more clearly appear.

Secured in a gas-tight relation to the valve plate 24, are a pair of concentrically disposed sylphon bellows 34, the outer one of which is secured to the outer margin of the valve plate and the inner one of which is spaced a definite distance therefrom. These bellows are also secured in a gas-tight relation to a plate-like bonnet 55, which is adapted to be attached to and held in a steam-tight position on the housing I!) by a clamp ring 46. The bonnet is provided centrally with an internally screw-threaded boss 41, within which is carried a screw-threaded valve regulating stem 48, to the upper end of which a hand-wheel is detachably connected by a lag screw 5|. The regulating stem 48 is provided centrally with internally screw-threaded openings 52 and 54, in the former of which is carried a limit adjusting screw and in the latter of which is carried a locking screw 56, it being observed that the adjusting screw is provided intermediate its ends with a shoulder 51 which is adapted to engage the pressure head 4! and is formed with a stem-like shank 58 disposed within and projecting through the central opening 42 with which the pressure head is provided.

From the foregoing description of the limit adjusting screw 55 and its associated elements, it will become apparent that the force of compression exerted by the spring 40 may be varied as desired by rotating the screw (through the aid of a suitable instrument such as a screw driver) in one direction or the other relatively to the valve regulating stem 48 and that such screw may be maintained in any position of adjustment by running the locking screw, 56 (also adapted for the reception of a screw driver) down into firm engagement therewith. It is, of course, understood that access to the limit adjusting screw 55 may be had in the absence of the locking screw 56 and the leg screw 5|, and. that access to the looking screw may be had in the absence of the lag screw, and that the lag screw when driven home serves not only to maintain the hand-wheel 50 on the valve regulating stem 48 but also serves to guard against or at least hinder unauthorized adjustment of the compression spring 40.

Referring again to the low pressure tube 34, it may be well to here point out that its primary function is to establish direct communication between the low pressure zone of the radiator and the collapsible chamber C which is afforded intermediate the bellows 44, and to that end the valve plate 25 is provided with a duct 59, which may be formed by drilling, or otherwise forming, a radial passage in the valve plate, similarly forming a vent 6| at right angles to such passage and thereafter closing the outer end of the passage as by a plug 62.

In order that the operation of the control unit may be more readily appreciated, it may be well to here point out (without in any manner limiting the invention by so doing) that, in the particular unit herein illustrated, the effective high-pressure area of the valve plate 24, or rather its associated face plate 25, and the effective low-pressure area of the valve plate, namely, the valve plate area intermediate the bellows i l, bear a steam pressure of four pounds or a fraction thereover will be required in the high pressure chamber 29 (assuming atmospheric pressure within the radiator, the low-pressure chamber 2i and the collapsible chamber C) to lift the face plate from the valve seat [8 and thus establish communication between the high and low-pressure chambers 2G and 2|, respectively, by way of the ports 3i and 32 of the orifice unit 26. Assuming the orifice members 21 and 23 to have been adjusted to obtain a proper orifice area, according to the radiator requirements, steam will be admitted to the radiator at a predetermined rate of flow. As the pressure within the radiator builds up, such pressure is transmitted to the collapsible chamber Candis utilized in conjunction with the spring ll] to move the face plate 25 into engagement with the valve seat l8, thus severing communication between the radiator and the source of steam supply. As the pressure within the radiator drops incident, for example, to condensation, a corresponding drop in pressure is effected within the collapsible chamber C, such drop in pressure being utilized in conjunction with the action of the steam pressure within the high pressure chamber 25 to overbalance the compression force of the spring 40, and thus cause the bellows 44 to collapse to a sufficient extent to lift the face plate 25 from the valve seat 18, thereby establishing communication between the radiator and the source of steam supply. The cycle of operation just described is, of course, repeated as and when radiator conditions prompt such repetition.

From the foregoing description of the operation under conditions peculiar to the example set forth, it will be appreciated that if the valve regulating stem 48 is moved outwardly from its innermost position, the pressure differential (assuming the previously mentioned position of the limit adjusting screw 55 remains unchanged) to which the bellows will respond will become correspondingly less; or, in other words, the face plate 25 will be lifted from the valve seat 18 incident to a lesser drop in pressure within the radiator.

The foregoing description of the operation of the control unit holds true in principle for any setting of the limit adjusting screw 55, the purpose of which is to so vary the compression force of the spring 4D as to condition the unit for use with various steam pressures at the source of supply, it being observed that the greater the pressure at the source the greater maybe the compression force exerted by the spring, and vice versa.

Although only one form of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve aovegeis seat and divid-ing such housing intohigh pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted-to communicate respectively with a source of steam-supply andthe steam inlet end of a radiator a pressure difierential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a spring tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, collapsible means adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a col lapsible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, and an" orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port and forming with each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according, to radiatorrequirements therate of. steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by way of said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising, a housing having an internal wall provide with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing. such housinginto high pres sure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a pressure-differential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a spring tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, collapsible means adapted to yield'incident to movement of 'said'valve member in a direction away from said 'seatand forming a collapsible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said'high pressure chamber and" adapted under all conditions to communicate with said'low pressure chamber,

an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port" and'forming'with' each other a variable orifice theeffective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator from said'high pressure chamber by way of said low'pressure chamber incident to movement of" said' valve member away from said'seat, andmanually operable rotatable means for varying the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond.

3. For use in association with a radiator ofa two-pipe steam heating system; a control unit comprising a. housing'having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply'and the steaminlet endof a radiator, a pressure-difierential-actuated valve disposed within said'high pressure chamber and including a valve member; a spring tending to maintain said valve member-in" seated position on said seat; collapsible meansadapted" to'yield incident'to movementof saidva-lvemember in a direction away from said seat'andformingacollapsible chamber sealed against atmosphere and-with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted'under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively: adjustable orifice members disposed within said-'valve'port andformirig' with each other a variableorifice the effective area} of which may be predetermiriedto proportion according to re;- diator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by wayof said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, manually operable rotatable means for varyingthe pressure differential to which said valve is-adapted to respond, and means carried by said rotatable means and'adjustable relatively thereto for rendering saidvalve responsive in its openingoperation to various predetermined effective pressures.

4i For'usein association with-a radiator of I a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port andaflording a valve seat and dividing such housinginto high pressure and low pressure chambers; saidchambers being adapted to communicate. respectively with a. source o-fsteam supply and the steaminlet end of a radiator, a pressure-differential-actuated' valve disposed within saidhigh pressure chamber and including a valve member, a spring tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, collapsible'means adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a collapsible chamber sealed against atmosphere andwith relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, an orifice unit carried by and movable with said Valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port and forming with each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to'proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of-steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by way of said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, and manually operable rotatable means-for varying the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond and comprising a. screw-threaded valve regulating stein adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression forceof said spring.

5. For use in associationwith a radiator. of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall providedl'with-a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividingsuch housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectivelywith a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a pressure-difierential-actuated valve disposed Within said high pressure chamber and includinga valve. member, a spring tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, collapsible means adapted to yield incident to movement of said valvemember in adirection away from said seal; and forming a collapsible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicatewithsaid lowpressure chamber, an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port and forming with each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by way of said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, manually operable rotatable means for varying the pressure difierential to which said valve is adapted to respond and comprising a screw-threaded valve regulating stem adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression force of said spring, and means for rendering said valve responsive in its opening operation to various predetermined efiective pressures and comprising a limit adjusting screw disposed axially of said regulating stem for varying the compression force of said spring independently of said stem.

6., For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and afiording a valve seat and dividing such housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a pressure-difierential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a pair of sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a collapsible and expansible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, a screwthreaded valve regulating stem carried by said hood and adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression force of said spring and correspondingly vary the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond, said valve member, said bellows, and said spring being insertable and removable from said housing as a unitary structure incident to attaching said hood to and removing it from said housing.

'7. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a pressure-differential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a pair of sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a collapsible andexpansible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, a screwthreaded valve regulating stem carried by said hood and adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression force of said spring and correspondingly vary the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond, and a limit adjusting screw disposed axially of said regulating stem for varying the compression force of said spring independently of said stem whereby said valve is rendered responsive in its opening operation to various predetermined effective pressures, said valve member, said bellows, and said spring being insertable and removable from said housing as a unitary structure incident to attaching said hood to and removing it from said housing.

8. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a pressure-differential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a pair of sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a collapsible and expansible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, a screw-threaded valve regulating stem carried by said hood and adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression force of said spring and correspondingly vary the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond, and an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and rela tively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port and forming with each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by way of said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, said orifice unit, said valve member, said bellows, and said spring being insertable and removable from said housing as a unitary structure incident to attaching said hood to and removing it from said housing.

9. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into high pressure and low pressure chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a pressure-difierential-actuated valve disposed within said high pressure chamber and including a valve member, a pair of sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member in a direction away from said seat and forming a collapsible and expansible chamber sealed against atmosphere and with relation to said high pressure chamber and adapted under all conditions to communicate with said low pressure chamber, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat, a screw-threaded valve regulating stem carried by said hood and adapted to be moved longitudinally from one position of adjustment to another and to vary the compression force of said spring and correspondingly vary the pressure differential to which said valve is adapted to respond, a limit adjusting screw disposed axially of said regulating stem for varying the compression force of said spring independently of said stern whereby said valve is rendered responsive in its opening operation to various predetermined effective pressures, and an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members disposed within said valve port and forming with each other a variable orifice the efiective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the'rate of steam flowing to the radiator from said high pressure chamber by way of said low pressure chamber incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, said orifice unit, said valve member, said bellows, and said spring being insertable and removable from said housing as a unitary structure incident to attaching said hood to and removing it from said housing.

10. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the Steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a valve unit disposed within one of said chambers and including a valve member adapted to seat on and to be unseated from said valve seat, a sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat under the action of a predetermined steam pressure exerted on said valve member, and an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member, said orifice unit being disposed within said valve port.

11. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided With a valve port and afiording a valve seat and dividing such housing into chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source oi steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a valve unit disposed within one of said chambers and including a valve member adapted to seat on and to be unseated from said valve seat, a sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat under the action of a predetermined steam pressure exerted on said valve member, and an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member, said orifice unit being disposed within said valve port and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members forming with each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator by way of said port and said chambers incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat.

12. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into chambers,

said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a valve unit disposed within one of said chambers and including a valve member adapted to seat on and to be unseated from said valve seat, a sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said valve member in seated position on said seat and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat under the action of a predetermined steam pressure exerted on said valve member, an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member, said orifice unit being disposed within said valve port, and means for varying the compression force of said spring to render said valve member operable at different predetermined steam pressure values.

13. For use in association with a radiator of a two-pipe steam heating system, a control unit comprising a housing having an internal wall provided with a valve port and affording a valve seat and dividing such housing into chambers, said chambers being adapted to communicate respectively with a source of steam supply and the steam inlet end of a radiator, a removable hood carried by said housing, a valve unit disposed within one of said chambers and including I a valve member adapted to seat on and to be unseated from said valve seat, a sylphon bellows connected to said hood and to said valve member, a spring disposed intermediate said valve member and said hood and tending to maintain said I valve member in seated position on said seat and adapted to yield incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat under the action of a predetermined steam pressure exerted on said valve member, an orifice unit carried by and movable with said valve member, said orifice unit being disposed within said valve port and including a pair of ported and relatively adjustable orifice members forming with-each other a variable orifice the effective area of which may be predetermined to proportion according to radiator requirements the rate of steam flowing to the radiator by way of said port and said chambers incident to movement of said valve member away from said seat, and means for varying the compression force of said spring to render said valve member operable at difierent predetermined steam pressure values.

JNO. T. MIDYETTE, JR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,079,915. May 11, 1957.

JOHN T. MIDYETTE, JR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 19, for "of" second occurrence read to; line 28, for "or" read of; and line 52, for "values" read valves; page 2, first column, line 47, for "leg" read lag; and page 5, first column, line 30, for "provide" read provided; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of July, A. D. 1957.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

